Search Results: AI
President Biden Signs Final Round of FY 2024 Appropriations Bills
With little time to spare, Congressional appropriators came to final agreement on fiscal year (FY) 2024 funding for the remaining six appropriations bills. As recently reported, Congress passed and President Biden signed into law a package containing six of twelve annual appropriations bills, including the bill that funds the National Science Foundation, Census Bureau, National Institute of Justice, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, among other agencies and departments. The latest package was announced this week and contains the following FY 2024 bills: Labor, Health and Human Services, Education; Defense; Financial Services; Legislative Branch; Homeland Security; and State and Foreign Operations. Of…
New JASON Report Advocates for Project-by-Project Approach to Sensitive Research Security
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has commissioned a new report from JASON, an independent scientific advisory group, on the implications of imposing broad controls on sensitive research security. The report reaffirms a longstanding policy that fundamental research should remain largely unrestricted unless specific sensitivities require classification. JASON suggests the need for updated research security measures in ways that do not stifle innovation and openness. The report evaluates international collaborations, especially highlighting concerns with the Chinese government’s approach to fundamental research for military needs and restrictions on information flow. The report recommends a nuanced method where the NSF collaborates with Principal Investigators and…
OMB Publishes Revisions to Race and Ethnicity Standards for Federal Data Collection
On March 28, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the updated standards for Statistical Policy Direction No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. The revisions come after months of seeking comments from the public, including through requests for public comments, public listening sessions, and town hall meetings on the topic. Effective immediately, based on the recommendations of the Federal Interagency Technical Working Group on Race and Ethnicity Standards, a Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) minimum category will be separated from the White category, a decision that has been widely requested by the community (see previous…
Remembering Dr. Daniel Kahneman: A Pioneer of Behavioral Economics
The social and behavioral science community lost a giant with the passing of Dr. Daniel Kahneman on March 27 at the age of 90. Kahneman, known as the “grandfather of behavioral economics,” leaves behind a legacy that has fundamentally shaped our understanding of human decision-making, risk, and cognitive biases. Throughout his career, Kahneman’s research was heavily supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), receiving three significant grants that propelled his work on cumulative decision-making. His projects, such as “Understanding Loss Aversion,” “Analysis of Retrospective Utility,” and “Decision Under Uncertainty,” have paved the way for new insights in the fields of economics, psychology,…
April 2024 COSSA Headlines: Behavioral and Social Science Priorities and Programs at the National Institutes of Health
The 2024 Headlines series continues with a discussion about the research and data activities within the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the National Institutes of Health. Presenter Dr. Jane M. Simoni, Ph.D. Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH & Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) Jane M. Simoni, Ph.D., is the Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). Dr. Simoni joined NIH on July 30, 2023, to lead OBSSRâs efforts…
COSSA Releases 2024 College & University Rankings for Social & Behavioral Science R&D Funding
On March 13, COSSA released its annual College and University Rankings for Federal Social and Behavioral Science R&D, which highlight the top university recipients of research dollars in the social and behavioral sciences. COSSA’s website also features a rankings dashboard with an interactive map of recipients of social and behavioral science R&D funding so you can see how your university stacks up among U.S. institutions. More edits will come to the dashboard over the coming weeks, so be sure to check back for new features. Based on federally collected data, the COSSA rankings use an inclusive selection of fields representing the breadth…
Congress Works to Finalize FY 2024 Budget, Looking Forward to FY 2025
The first six of the twelve annual appropriations bills for fiscal year (FY) 2024 were passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden last week. As previously reported, this included funding for the National Science Foundation, Census Bureau, National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and other federal agencies and departments. The bills resulted in funding cuts across all agencies, including the National Science Foundation which received an 8.2 percent cut from FY 2023. COSSAâs in-depth analysis for these bills can be found here. The remaining six bills have a deadline of Friday, March 22, leaving only a…
The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2024 Released
The National Science Board recently released their The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2024. The Science and Engineering Indicators report summarizes the status of the science and engineering enterprise within the United States, examining the country’s overall position in the global landscape. This is sourced from nine thematic reports, organized into three main sectionsâtalent, discovery, and translation. These three components collectively support U.S. global competitiveness in science, technology, and innovation (STI), in that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent contributes to scientific discovery, which in turn is translated to society and the economy through innovation. The report sheds light…
New Executive Order Targets Protection of Americans’ Data from Foreign Threats
On February 28, the White House issued an Executive Order (EO) titled “Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern.” This EO seeks to safeguard the privacy of American citizens and the integrity of government data against foreign exploitation. Under this guidance, the Attorney General is mandated to formulate regulations that will restrict transactions involving sensitive American data and government-related information, particularly when transactions involve foreign countries or nationals identified as posing security threats. This regulatory framework is aimed at curbing the potential for adversaries to exploit personal and governmental data…
COSSA Remembers Dr. Norman B. Anderson
COSSA mourns the passing of Norman B. Anderson, PhD, who died unexpectedly on March 1. Dr. Anderson, a clinical psychologist renowned for his research on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities, has left an indelible mark on the social and behavioral science community through this leadership, scholarship, and wisdom. Among his many leadership posts, Dr. Anderson served as the inaugural Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) from 1995 to 2000. In this role, he championed the inclusion and integration of the social and behavioral sciences across the NIH, laying the…
AEA to Host Summer Evaluation Institute
The American Evaluation Association (AEA) has opened registration for the Summer Evaluation Institute which will take place June 26-28 at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC. The Summer Evaluation Institute offers development workshops for all experience levels of evaluators as well as applied researchers, grantmakers, foundation program officers, nonprofit administrators, and social science students. More information about the event can be found here. Any questions can be directed to education@eval.org. AEA is a COSSA member organization. All COSSA members can receive a 10% discount on general registration costs with the code SUM_COSSA24.
AAPSS Announces 2024 Academy Fellows
On March 13, The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS) announced that they will welcome eight new scholars as 2024 fellows this fall. AAPSS is a COSSA member organization. Every year, the AAPSS selects a small group of scholars and public intellectuals to become fellows of the academy, recognizing their contributions to social science and the extent to which their work has deepened public understanding of social dynamics. The 2024 Fellows of the AAPSS are as follows: Read the full announcement here.
NSF selects Kaye Husbands Fealing to lead the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate
On February 29, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that Kaye Husbands Fealing has been selected to lead the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE). Her appointment will begin on April 22. Husbands Fealing is dean of the Georgia Institute of Technology Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and former chair of the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy. She specializes in the science of science and innovation policy, the public value of research expenditures and the underrepresentation of women and minorities in STEM fields and the workforce. Husbands Fealing developed and was the inaugural program director for NSFâs Science…
Advocacy Day Spotlight: Early Bird Registration EXTENDED!
Early bird registration for COSSAâs tenth annual Social Science Advocacy Day has been extended through THIS WEEK ONLY! There will not be another early bird price extension, so don’t wait! Register here before the price increases this weekend. Social Science Advocacy Day will be taking place April 8-9, 2024 in Washington, DC and is open to anyone affiliated with a COSSA member organization or university. Not a member? Learn how here. If your organization is interested in becoming a sponsor of Social Science Advocacy Day, learn more here. Visit the COSSA website for the latest information on Social Science Advocacy Day and to view the recording of the recent informational webinar.
Headlines Webinars continue March 27
COSSA’s 2024 Headlines Webinar series will continue to feature discussions with leaders of federal science agencies, providing opportunities for the social and behavioral science community to learn about agency research programs, funding opportunities, and priorities. Upcoming Webinars: Did you miss February’s webinar? You can watch the recording now to catch up on our discussion about the research and data activities within the National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations.
The Latest on the Government Shutdown and Funding Efforts
On February 29, the House and Senate successfully passed a stopgap bill. This legislative action ensures that the government will continue to operate without interruption at least until the next deadlines. The Senate’s approval came with a 77 to 13 vote, showcasing bipartisan support for the measure. The bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 1. The stopgap bill is a temporary solution, extending funding until March 8 for a significant portion of government spending, based on a prior agreement aimed at providing a substantial portion of government funding. The remaining federal government funds are set to…
DOJ Announces Grant Funding Opportunities
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its fiscal year (FY) 2024 Program Plan outlining anticipated grant funding available for advancing public safety. Groups eligible for applying include community-based organizations; state, local, Tribal, and territorial government agencies; research institutions; and nonprofit entities. There are over 200 grant programs awarded across three grantmaking components: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). Within OJP, there are six program offices that offer funding opportunities: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA); Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS); National Institute of Justice (NIJ); Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency…
Mental Health Director Dr. Joshua Gordon Departs from NIMH
On February 29, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli announced the departure of Director Dr. Joshua Gordon from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). As previously reported by COSSA, Director Gordon joined NIMH in August 2016 after previously serving as an associate professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and as a research psychiatrist at New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI). Dr. Gordon will return to Columbia as the Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Psychiatrist-in-Chief of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital campus at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He…
APSA Seeks Executive Director
The American Political Science Association (APSA) has initiated a search for an Executive Director. The Executive Director is expected to lead and represent the Association through developing strategic plans and goals, communicating with members, managing the staff and budget, and overseeing Association activities. A full list of responsibilities can be found in the job description here. The candidate is projected to begin the position around August 2024. APSA is a COSSA governing member organization. Applications will remain open until the position is filled and questions about the job posting can be directed to recruiter@apsanet.org.